Improvement in fences



UNITED STATES PATENT GEEICEo S. H. MITCHELL, OF EL PAS, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN FENCES.

Specication forming part ot Letters Patent No. 55,883, dated J une 26, 1866.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, S. H. MITCHELL, of El Paso,in the county of Woodford and State ot' Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Fence; and I do hereby declare that the t'ollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof', which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the acccompanying drawings, forming part ot' this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side view ot' two panels of a felice constructed according to my invention; Fig. 2 a transverse vertical section of the same, takcnin the line m fr, Fig. 1.

Similar letters ot'reterenceindicate like parts.

This invention relates to a new and improved fence ot' that class which are designed to be readily pnt up and taken down, and are commonly termed portable felices.

The invention consists in covering the, notched ends ofthe slats ot' the panels, where they are locked together, with iron, in order to preserve said ends or prevent them from splitting, and also in a novel arrangement or application ot' the stakes ot' the t'ence and the securing ot" the notched ends ot' the panels in position, as hereinafter i'ully shown and de` scribed, whereby it is believed that a very simple, economical, and dqrable felice ot' the class specified is obtained.

A represents a series ot' upright posts, there being two or more to each panel. Each ot' these posts has a stake, B, secured to its upper end by a screw-bolt, C, and each stake B has another stake, l), secured to it some distance below its top by a bolt, E, as shown clearly in Fig. 2.

'Io the upright posts A there are secured horizontal parallel slats F, said slats having upright strips or battens G attached to them, through which and the slats nails are driven into the posts A.

The ends ofthe slats F are notched, as shown at a, in Fig. l, said notches being formed in such a manner that the abutting ends ot' thel slats of the panels, when placed in contact, will become locked and the panels prevented from spreading apart or separating in a longitudinal direction.

In order to prevent the slats of one panel from rising above those ot' the other and becomin g unlocked, a screw, b, is screwed through the strip orbatten G, opposite the locked joints,

into the post A at the rear side of the latter, and directly over the abutting ends ot two of the slats, as shown clearly in Fig. 2, which prevents the panel from rising.

The stakes D pass over the lower slats, F', of the panels and bear upon the upper edges of thel same, the ends of both stakes, B D, heilig driven into the ground.

By this arrangement it will be seen that the panels ot the t'encc will be firmly braced and held down to the ground,while the notched ends ot' the sla-ts securelyliold the panels in contact, preventing them'from parting longitudinally, and the screw b preventing the slats from unlocking by a vertical movement of the panels.

The notched ends ot` the panels, it` not pro tected, would` be very liable to split or check', so as to destroy the locks; and in order to prevent this I cover the notched ends with sheet metal or strap-iron c, as shown clearly in Fig. 1, which eti'ectually protects the ends ot' thel slats.

This fence may be very readily put up and economically constructed, and will be. strong and durable..

l do not claim, broadly, the notched or locked ends ot' the slats ot thel panels; nor do I claim the employmentot` inclined stakes irrespective ot' thc arrangement ol' the same, as herein set forth; but

I do claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The stakes B D,eonneetml by bolts (l, in combination with the upright posts A oi' the panels, with which posts the upper ends of the stakes B are connected by bolts E, substantially as and for the purpose specitied.

2. The covering ofthe notched ends of the slats F ot' the panels with sheet metal orstrapiron c, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The securing ot' the panels, so as to prevent a vertical movement ot thc same, by means ot1 a screw, b, or its equivalent, applied as shown, when used in combination with the notched ends ofthe slats' F of the panels, snbstantially as described.

S. Ll. MITCHELL.

Witnesses D. DRIGGs, J oHN TOERANGE. 

